Legendary Detroit Pistons Bill Laimbeer
From 65 students to 2000, including Bill Laimbeer!... Issue #11
ifOnlyi…had more understanding of how powerful your high schools could be for you, in your lifetime. Those years truly are, in My Opinion, the make-or-break time in one's early life. More powerful than your College years. You don’t have school reunions for graduating from University every 10 years. Make the most of your 4 years.
It was my first day of High School, and although I walked past it twice a day, 5 days a week, for a whole school year, I had no idea what lurked inside those boundaries.
I had the tremendous opportunity of being a student during Bill Laimbeer’s final year. (More on that later in this story, it’s a wow, I promise you!)
On day one, we were each given a locker and a combination for the lock as we would use this same locker for the next 4 years, if I were to stay that long. Now, collecting our school books, we found that they were all hardback books and phreaking heavy.
Back then, we didn’t use backpacks; it was hand-carried to and from school. You could tell the students who had been there the longest from how they carried them around, a status symbol if you walked and carried them this way rather than that.
I wanted to be in the “in crowd” fast. I looked at everyone all the time and held them this way. No, this way, okay, I’ll do this for a few weeks, and see how I get along. Yes, I did this stuff! Later, I would also carry my PV High sports bag with pride.
We were then told our picture day was happening next, and to wear something you want people to remember you in. Most of the locals knew this was happening, and they were fired up and well prepared with deep suntans, makeup, and the hippest outfits you could wear.
On the other hand, my clothes were picked out for me! Thanks, Mom, corduroy pants, a button-down shirt, and Clark shoes. Not even tennis shoes. I felt so out of place and embarrassed. I really, truly wanted to fit in. Not allowed to wear blue jeans, yet so many others did.
Don’t get me wrong, eventually I relaxed into my cords. Perhaps that was what set me apart, as well as the choices I made for my future wardrobe.
How was I going to make that happen? Become part of the “in crowd.” Football season was about to start; I knew nothing about this sport. “What’s that?” I would ask, “Stop laughing, please”! These kids practiced all summer long while I was on vacation.
They were ready to go. We had four different teams as the school was massive. Freshman, Sophomore, Junior Varsity, and Varsity football teams (almost every sport had four). That’s a lot of football, and I didn't understand the game. I did enjoy watching the games and learning, especially Friday Night Lights home games.
Home games were an easy walk across the street to enjoy. Half the time, the teams played away against aggressive, competitive schools that hated us.
The question was, how would I get to those games? I needed to work on that, but for now, it was great watching the home games. I felt a part of the events, Cheerleaders wearing their outfits the day of the game at school, the football players wearing jerseys with their name and number on them, I felt Fridays were the best!
My inner being felt alive, and I wanted to participate in the team’s success, even though I did not know how to play this game. Plus, it was always the start of the weekend, NO SCHOOL... but I still had my list of Chores. YIKES!
Let me now share the story of Bill Laimbeer and why it was so meaningful for me, FOREVER. As I wasn’t driving yet, I stood out on top of our driveway awaiting friends to pick me up and drive to THE FORUM. This was where the World Famous LA LAKERS played their home games, and Magic Johnson would soon join the team in 1979, along with all the other Laker greats.
This time, I was going to watch our Varsity Basketball team playing in the California Interscholastic Federation (4-A CIF) finals. This was huge, PV playing the best of the best to see who would rise to be the Very Best of 1975.
In the CIF semifinals, Bill Laimbeer led underdog Palos Verdes High past the supposedly unbeatable Verbum Dei Eagles--winners of 28 games in 1975 and six consecutive 4-A CIF championships. Then the Crowning Glory PV beat Marina in the title game.
It was awesome to be at that game. Can you guess who our center and team leader were? Bill Laimbeer, the soon-to-be legend! He played with the PV Basketball team for four years, and it was because of his HUGE talent, we went to the 4-A CIF finals in '75 and WON. Then he was off to Notre Dame (The Fighting Irish, certainly fitting for him)
Drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers before being traded to the Detroit Pistons. ‘Bad Boy Laimbeer, as he became known, was one of the top outside-shooting centers of his era. This was during the "Bad Boys" era.
Some Famous Palos Verdes High Alumni
Dana Rohrabacher (Former Member U.S House of Representatives), Class of 1965
Toulouse Engelhardt, Guitar Virtuoso, Recording Artist & Composer, Class of 69
George Felix Allen, Former Senator (R-VA), Class of 1970
Jan van Breda Kolff, basketball player, SEC Player of the Year (1974), Class of 1970
Stephen-Craig Aristei, music publisher, film & television producer.
Craig Hogan, Director of Fermilab Center for Particle Astrophysics, Class of 1972
Blair Bush, former center in the NFL, Class of 1974
Billy Martin, Tennis Pro & long-time UCLA Tennis Head Coach, Class of 1974
Bill Laimbeer, 1975 CIF championship basketball team, Detroit Pistons
Daniel Levitin (neuroscientist, musician, and author), Class of 1975
Matt Wuerker, Political cartoonist, 2012 Pulitzer Prize Winner, Class of 1975
Mark Acres, professional basketball player, Class of 1981
Carin Jennings, Member of the USWNT, Class of 1983
Pete Sampras (tennis great) (attended 1985-88)
Heather Burge, a WNBA player, Class of 1989
Heidi Burge - WNBA player, Class of 1989
John Welbourn, NFL offensive lineman
Rebecca Mehra (born 1994), American middle-distance runner
Tai Verdes (born 1995), American singer
Ellie Darcey-Alden (born 1999), English actress, dancer, and model
Joe Walker, NFL linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles
Matt Grace, MLB pitcher for the Washington Nationals
Bryan James Scott, Quarterback for the Generals of The Spring League
Cameron Terrell (born 2000), a former gang member
List: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
ifOnlyi…. short stories are published chronologically, and follow my life growing up in California from 4 years old. If you’ve just found me, the stories will come together when you start reading from….Issue #1
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